Stainless pin tumbling

[Scratch]

So I've been using a vibratory tumbler since I started reloading, using corn cob media. It does a decent enough job, but I decided a while ago to go to stainless pin tumbling in a rotary tumbler, so I bought the pins and figured I'd get the rotary tumbler later. Well last week or so, I got everything setup for rotary tumbling and tumbled my first batch, then I tried a couple different calibers of rifle brass, and some brass with the old primers removed.

I will say that it gets the inside of the brass cleaner, as well as the primer pocket.(when removed)
I does also make the brass a little more "shiny" I guess. It's kind of a different kind of shine though... My corn cob tumbled brass is more "yellow gold",while the SS tumbled brass looks more "white gold" than the other stuff.
If I grab about 15-20 of each, I do notice that the corn cob brass might have some dark spots on about 6 of the cases, but the SS brass has absolutely no dark spots whatsoever, they do look better.

So here's the reason for this thread....

Is it really worth it?


There's much more work in wet tumbling, with all the rinsing, drying, and being careful not to lose the pins etc...
I don't know if the reward is worth the extra hassle.

For those of you that have gone to SS tumbling, what's your thoughts?

[Evad]

I do wet (ultrasonic) cleaning so far...and I wonder also if other methods are worth it.

For me, I dump them in, run a few cycles and get clean, but not shiney new looking brass. I do have to rinse in a collander and then dry, but I find that easy. I am only going for hand gun loads, and function over beauty is my current path.

I've dumped some nasty stuff in, and got reasonable looking brass out. One headstamp from a range pickup (likely sat all winter at least) is from the 40s. It looks usable...but I am not using that particular one.

[Synergy]

I use SS pins and for me it works really well however I've never had a vibrator tumbler so I can't compare. Fleet farms sells a timer you can just hit 1,2,4, or 8 hours so it shuts itself off so I can go to bed or to work with a load tumbling. I personally don't think its a lot of work but my only bitch is getting pins stuck in flash holes, seems to happen most with Winchester brass. You gotta do what works for you.

[Scratch]

I use SS pins and for me it works really well however I've never had a vibrator tumbler so I can't compare. Fleet farms sells a timer you can just hit 1,2,4, or 8 hours so it shuts itself off so I can go to bed or to work with a load tumbling. I personally don't think its a lot of work but my only bitch is getting pins stuck in flash holes, seems to happen most with Winchester brass. You gotta do what works for you.

So far... I haven't noticed any pins stuck in the flash holes, and surprisingly... I also haven't noticed any pins left inside the rifle cases after I use the media separator.

[rottenit]

I like them alot. Brass looks fantastic afterwards.

[Nalez]

I do wet (ultrasonic) cleaning so far...and I wonder also if other methods are worth it.

For me, I dump them in, run a few cycles and get clean, but not shiney new looking brass. I do have to rinse in a collander and then dry, but I find that easy. I am only going for hand gun loads, and function over beauty is my current path.

What I do is deprime, then do about 10 minutes in the ultrasonic. I then rinse; and throw it in the tumbler for about 30 minutes with some nu-finish, reptile bedding (walnut) and torn up dryer sheets. The tumbler adds more shine; and also drys the brass

[BigDog58]

I moved from vibratory cleaning in walnut shell and Nu Finish polish to Wet Stainless Steel Pin tumbling and love it. I toss my dirty brass in the walnut vibe tumbler for about an hour to knock off the outside crud so it doesn't make my dies dirty. I then decap and resize then wet tumble. I then rinse and then dump into my media separator and remove the pins. Then i put the brass on a towel with a small fan blowing on it and it comes out AWESOME. I have had a few with pins stuck in the flash hole but it is about two in a thousand. I'll never go back to just dry tumble, I love my clean brass and get compliments about it. Thanks to OldmanFCSA for converting me.

[Gdawgs]

I just ordered a SS wet tumble system a couple weeks ago. It was on backorder, but it just shipped out yesterday. Can't wait to try it out. It looks very impressive from everything I've seen so far.

[BigDog58]

I just ordered a SS wet tumble system a couple weeks ago. It was on backorder, but it just shipped out yesterday. Can't wait to try it out. It looks very impressive from everything I've seen so far.

Once you see the results, you will wonder how you cleaned your brass without it. Everyone that has seen my ammo after I started using the Stainless Steel wet tumble, can't believe my ammo is reloads. I loaded some ammo for another board member and he said that his buddy refused to believe they were reloads. His buddy's dad reloads and the buddy accused my friend of taking Factory ammo and putting it in the plastic bags, I put his ammo in...lol. That was the highest compliment, next to how accurate my ammo was, that I could get about my loads. I owe thanks to OldmanFCSA (UnBan him Mods) for pointing me to the ss wet tumbling process.

[Rodentman]

double post

[Rodentman]

I have been using the SS pin tumbler system for about a year. Works great! It's a bit of work to get a system going that allows cleaning of the pins w/o losing them. A magnet is necessary because some of them WILL get where you don't want them. Most expensive part of the process for me was getting a double laundry tub installed in the basement (loading room) but with that, I have a system down that works well.

[Hoot]

I do wet (ultrasonic) cleaning so far...and I wonder also if other methods are worth it.

For me, I dump them in, run a few cycles and get clean, but not shiney new looking brass. I do have to rinse in a collander and then dry, but I find that easy. I am only going for hand gun loads, and function over beauty is my current path.

What I do is deprime, then do about 10 minutes in the ultrasonic. I then rinse; and throw it in the tumbler for about 30 minutes with some nu-finish, reptile bedding (walnut) and torn up dryer sheets. The tumbler adds more shine; and also drys the brass

So the water doesn't make the walnut media (what I use also) clump up or otherwise get squirrely? Do you have to let the media dry afterward? Since I have an ultrasonic and vibratory tumbler as well, the idea appeals to me more than simply biting the monetary bullet and purchasing a pin system, which is still on the radar screen. I doubt that one-two punch will equal SS pins, but hey, they're paid for. The pets hate it when I run the ultrasonic. Actually everyone in the house hates it, but then I do it in the kitchen. Easily dealt with by moving it to the reloading room. Unfortunately, I have no utilities in the reloading room aside from electricity.

I know pristine brass is not necessary, it just make me feel like King Midas running it through my hands.

[Scratch]

I finally took my homemade tumbler apart and painted it. I also made a quick video of it.

[BigBlue]

Great job! Nice innovation. Have you noticed any wear on the plastic inside the cooler from abrasion? I suppose if you can get that cooler for $5 you can just replace it occasionally if the inside wears out.

BB

[Scratch]

Great job! Nice innovation. Have you noticed any wear on the plastic inside the cooler from abrasion? I suppose if you can get that cooler for $5 you can just replace it occasionally if the inside wears out.

BB

Not yet, but where the metal contacts the plastic, there is no major movement between them. The only parts that have major movement between the two are the cooler and the rubber wheels.